John Mahama explains his 2015 ‘dead-goat syndrome’ statement

Former President John Dramani Mahama has explained reasons why he referred to himself having a dead goat syndrome.

John Mahama said, due to the deregulation of fuel, he became frustrated hence using the idiomatic expression to explain his current state of the nation at the time.

Speaking during his lecture at Academic City University College, John Mahama disclosed that, he knew some unions especially the Trade Union Congress (TUC) wouldn’t let him be at peace if the fuel price increases.

According to John Mahama, it was unbearable for him as the mass labour kept prevailing.

“I was one of the most harassed Presidents by Organized Labour. That is what led to the dead goat syndrome, because when you kill a goat, you cannot frighten it with the knife again,”

“I am the only government in the Fourth Republic where all organized labour came together and went on strike and shut down the country …..”

According to John Mahama, the opposition then (New Patriotic Party) took his statement out of context.

In 2015, John Mahama stated clearly that, he is now impermeable to Ghanaians’ demonstrations and threats of strike because he has adopted “dead-goat syndrome.”

“I have seen more demonstrations and strikes in my first two years. I don’t think it can get worse. It is said that when you kill a goat and you frighten it with a knife, it doesn’t fear the knife because it is dead already. I have a dead goat syndrome.”

During John Mahama’s regime, some unions especially TUC demonstrated heavily on the street due to the country’s economic situation then.

According to Mahama, all the threats of strike and demonstrations were tactics of workers to corner the government since the election was approaching.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh